Copy and book holder



April 11, 1933. ENE, VA'N ALSTINE 1,903,523

COPY AND BOOK HOLDER 7 Filed Dec. 8 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 00000o lp00000IN V EN TOR.

BONNIE 5. Wm ALST/NE.

WWW/$00.

ATTORNEYS.

April 11, 3 B. E. VAN ALSTINE 1,903,523

COPY AND BOOK HOLDER I Fi led Dec. 8, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet -2 IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

EON/VIE E. VAN ALsr/lvs.

Patented Apr. 11, 1933 V 1 UNITED STAT-ES BONNIE E. VAN ALs'rINE, or sANFRANCISCO, cALIronNIA corYA n B001: HOLDER 4 I Applicationfiled Decembera, 1930. "Serial No. 500,896,

-The present invention relates to improvements in copy and book holders,and it cnsists in the combinations, constructions and arrangement ofparts hereinafter described.

The device illustrated and claimed in v the present application is acontinuation in part of my co-pending applications Serial N umbers380,163 and 447,286 filed July 22, 1929, and April 25,1930,respectively. a

More particularly it is proposed to incorporate in the presentapplication the securing means disclosed in my former applications whichare used in combination with a copy holder for securely holding asidewise-open- 'ing book" or the like in the'holder insuch a mannerthatthe reading pages of the book are always firmly held inplaceyirrespective of the size of the book or the degreeto which it isopened. The securing means are soar- "ranged that all parts of the bookare firmly supported at any degree of book opening. I

This application further includes means 7 for supporting the uppermostedges of an open book so as to keep them from sagging.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a partof this application, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of my copy holder I with a book secured thereto,H

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the'device, Figure 3 is an invertedplan viewtaken along line 83 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side View of a portion of the device,

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate modifications of means for raising thesections of an open book into the same plane, these meansbeing shown inside elevation,

Figure 7 is a partial plan view of a modified portion of the device, andg Figure 8 is a vertical section on line 88 of Figure 7. o While I haveshown only the preferred forms of my invention, it is understood thatvarious changes or modifications may be made 1 within the scope of theappended claims w th-' out departing from the spirit of the invention.In'its preferred form my copy and book holder comprises a base 1 havinga copy holds ing element or frame 2 swingably secured thereto as at-3',and brace'sj4 supporting the latter relative to the former at anydesiredangle. The braces 4 are pivoted to the back of the copy holder at5, and are adapted for", engagement with sockets 6 formed in the sides 7and 8 ofthe base. Figure 1 illustrates'one of the braces as engagingwith the sockets on the side 7, and a similar brace is provided-on theopposite side of the copy holder. I

The braces 4 are movable into arallel relation with the back of the copyolder frame and are securable thereto by spring clips 9. An additionalspring clip 10 is provided as clearly shown in Figure 1, and is adaptedto overlie the edge 11 of the base so as to firmly clamp the copy holderin folded position'when the copyholder is swung so as toabut against thebase. It should be understood that the braces 4 are first placed intheclips. 9 before the copy holding frame'is lowered "to the 'ba'sel.

The upper edge edge of the copy holding frame hasa supporting member 12extending rearwardly therefrom, and the same is provided with aswingable U-shaped strip of metal 13. The U-member may be moved into avertical position and be made to serve asa handle for carrying theentire device.

The parts thus ,far described form no part of the present inventionexcept insofaras 0 they cooperate with the parts now to' be described.

The copy holding framev may be of any suitable shape, and in the presentembodiment I have shown a rectangular shaped plate 12 having a shelf 13extending therefrom and adapted to support a book 14 thereon in readingposition. The lower edge of the book may rest on the shelf, and Iprovide detachable means for holding the book in its proper po sitionfor copying. The latter means include two members 15and16 pivoted tothesup.- porting member 12 and the shelf 13 respec-l' t'ively in the mannershown in the drawings,: the upper member being formed with a series ofperforations 17 and the'lower member with V a plurality of serrations18. These members are pivotally attached to the copy holding frame, andmay beswun'g into an out-of-theway position when it issodesired. .100

members 20 and 21 adjustably secured there- In Figures 1 and 2, I show arod 19, preferably square in cross-section and having an arc-shaped end20 adapted to be introduced into any one of the perforations in themember 15 so as to extend along the hinged section that is presentedbetween the two sections ofthe book. The arc-shaped end 20 cooperatesvwiththe member 15 foriproviding a hinge. adapted for engagement by theserrations 18, and this clamps the open book to the supporting frame.When the bar is thus manually engaged, it may be swung laterally inorder to follow the hinged section of the book as the same shifts withthe turning of the It leaves. As. the rod19 is thus shifted, it is movedtoward and away from the plate 12, and I have therefore provided acut-away portion 14 inthe shelf 13. This; also permits the serrations 18adjacent to the plate 12 to be: utilized. It is also apparent that therod may be adjusted with respect to theplate 12 so as to accommodatevarious thicknesses of books.

The rod. 19 has transversely-extending on by friction springs 20 andset-screws 100, and these members bear against the pages of the book forkeeping them in reading position. These members are preferably square incross-section. The member 21 is flanged at 22 and adapted to engage thelower edges of the uppermost pages of the book and thus prevent themfrom sagging.

.The rod 19 is also provided with a line indicator'23, the latter beingfrictionally held in place'by means. of a spring 23 and adjustable overthe pages of the book so. as: to indicate the particular line that isbeing copied. The line indicator is preferably flat so as to freelyslide over the pages of the book. The lines of printed matter are heldeven under the line indicator by the flange 22' and the shifting of themembers '15 and 16, and by means hereinafter described adapted for lifting either of the book sections so as to raise the exposed pages intocontact with the transvers'e members and the line indicator. The members15 and 16 are free to swing on their respective pivots so as to allowthe rod 19 to twist slightly and move the line indicator into alignmentwith the lines of printed matter. Figures 7 and 8 I showa-slightmodification forsecuring the upper end of the rod 19 to the supportingframe, and the same consists of a pivoted bar 24 which is slotted at 25for receiving a, follower 26, the latter'heing held in adjusted positionby a wing nut- 27 and a bolt 28. The follower 26 carries a clamp 29 towhich a bifurcated member 30 is. swiveled, and the rod 19' is pivoted tothe member 30 with freedom of swinging notion. The rod 19 may beadjusted toward or- The lower portion of the rod is aligned with theline indicator. In order that the lines of the other section may bepresented in correct alignment with the indicator, it is necessary thatthe latter section be elevated until the exposed page thereof is alsobrought to bear against the transverse members and indicator.

I have provided several methodsof obtaining this end, and I will now setthem forth. The preferred method of accomplishing thisis toprovide leafsprings. 31 and 32 which are anchored to the plate 12 at 34 and extendalong the parallel edges 32 and 33. These springs are made fromrelatively thin material and are fitted into recesses in the plate 12and are'readily flexed into operative posi-' tion. The springs areslidably held in place v near their upper ends by guides 34, and serveas trimmings for the board when they are not in use. I

After the springs have been flexed and the sections of the book properlyadjusted,

the integral rearwardlyextendingpins35- are placed in perforations orsockets 36 formed. along the edges 32 and 33. These sockets are exposedone at a time as the uppermost ends of the springs are moved downwardly,and these sockets. extend at an angle with respect to the plane of theplate 12.; The pins.

35 project from the springs at a corresponding angle, and thisconstruction prevents the pins from becoming accidentally disengagedfrom the sockets. Ears 37 are preferably formed integral with thesprings 31 and 32, and may be grasped by the operator for I facilitatingthe adjustment of the book sections.

, For this purpose I may also provide strips of material 38 which areattached to the copy holding frame so as telie in parallel relationwiththe. edges 32and 33. It should be understood that two strips areprovided which are substituted for the springs 31 and 32. Each strip ofmaterial has a section 39 s-wingably secured thereto at 40, and thesection is provided with a hinge 41 at an intermediate portion. Thestrips 38 are provided with a plurality of steps42 with which theextreme end 43 may be engaged for raising the hinge 41 to a desiredheight, wherebythe section of the overlying cordingly.

A further modification is shownin Figure other, one of the leversv isoperated so as to project from the frame and to raise the thinbook israised ac- V '6 for raising the thinner section of the book.

ner section into contact with the overlying transverse members and lineindicator.

Although I have illustrated only the flexible leaf springs incombination with the holding rod 19, it is of course understood that themodifications disclosed in Figures 5 and 6 may be readily used tofulfill the requirements.

I claim: j 1. In a copy and book holder a frame for supporting asidewise-opening book thereon in reading position, a 'rodadapted forplacing over the book hinge, and a transverse member slidable on the rodand having a depending fl-ange for supporting the uppermost leaves ofthe book and preventing them from sagging.

2. In a copy and book holder, a frame for supporting a book in readingposition, a perforated member pivoted to one end of the frame and aserrated member pivoted to the opposite end, and a bar having a bent endadapted for introduction into any one of the perforations and forming ahinge with the perforated member so as to dispose the bar over the hingesection of the book, the other end of the bar being engageable bytheserrated member for clamping the book in place.

springs when in inoperative position provid-- I ing a trimming for theframe.

In a copy and book holder a frame for supporting a sidewise-opening bookthereon in reading'position, a rod adapted for plac-. ing over the bookhinge, a transverse member slidable on the rod and having a dependingflange for supporting the uppermost leaves of the bookand preventingthemfrom sagalong the opposite sides thereof, finger-grasping earsprojecting laterally from the leaf springs and clearing the frame, saidsprings being flexible for raising the overlying book sections, andmeans for holding the springs in flexed position.

BONNIE E. VAN ALSTINE.

3. In a copy and book holder, a frame for supporting a book thereon inopen position, a slotted member secured to one end of the frame, afollower adjustably attached to the slotted member, a bar pivoted to thefollower] so as to overlie the hinge section of the book, 1

and a serrated member pivoted to the opposite end of the frame forengaging with the bar and clamping the book in place.

4. In a copy and book holder,-a frame for supportng a book thereon inreading position, means extending along the hinge section of the bookand including laterally projecting,

arms, a line indicator carried by the hingeengaging means, and means forraising and adjusting either section of the book into contact with thearms and the line indicator.

5. In a copy and book holder, a frame for supporting a book in readingposition and having a series of perforations arranged along the oppositesides thereof, leaf springs extending over the perforations and havingone of their ends anchored to the frame, and projections carried by thefree ends of the springs adapted for introduction into the perforationsfor flexing the springs and raising the sections of the book into thesame plane. l

6. In a copy and book holder, a substantfilly rectangular-shapedframefor supporting a book in reading position, leaf springs anchored to theframe and extending along the opposite sides thereof, and means forflexing the springs and holding them in flexed position whereby thesections of the book may be raised into the same plane, said

